Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster review - A wonderful restoration

The very first time I sat down to write an opinion piece at GAMINGbible several years ago, I ended up writing about my desire to see Croc: Legend of the Gobbos make a comeback. Well, what a full circle moment this is. I’ll admit, it was a purely selfish desire. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, while a wonderful platformer, has its limitations. It’s relatively short and fair to say, although the titular character demands a loyal legion of fans, he didn’t exactly gather the same calibre of following as, say, Mario or Crash Bandicoot. For me though, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is seeped with more nostalgia than perhaps any other game I’ve ever played.

It’s the basis of my earliest gaming memories; I’d take a spin on my brother’s PlayStation 1, replaying the same select few levels over and over again. I was far too young to ever reach the game’s final boss, but the ins and outs of Forest Island are forever etched in my brain. I’ve always yearned to return to that blissful simplicity, and so when Argonaut Games recently announced the shock return of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos via a new remaster, I was filled with abundant joy - and I can safely say, it’s everything I hoped it would be.

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (2025) is a near perfect remaster, keeping the integrity of the original release whilst still somehow allowing the game to feel modern. It’s a must-play glimpse into the origins of the platforming genre, made accessible to the current generation of gamers with wonderfully enhanced graphics and renewed gameplay controls.

You can view the trailer for the remastered Croc: Legend of the Gobbos here.

It’s the controls that I want to talk about first and foremost, because it’s here that players of the original will notice what I believe to be the most revolutionary change. Yes, my friends, tank controls are gone. Hurray! Instead, you’ll now be able to direct Croc as you might in any other modern release, using the Dual Sticks to control both his directional movement and a 360-degree camera. If you do want to up the challenge or slightly harken back to the old days, you can use the directional arrows instead. I can’t begin to tell you how much more enjoyable this made the experience and while the difference is drastic, it also felt completely right - as if this is how I used to play Croc.

That’s one of the highest praises I can heap on this remaster, that Croc: Legend of Gobbos feels just as I remembered it feeling despite the fact that this is a renewed version. That’s how sensitive and honouring of the original experience the developers have been here. Even though those pesky tank controls are gone, you needn’t worry that Croc has done away with its level of challenge. I can guarantee that with very few lives on offer and some precise jumping required, you’ll still be screeching at your console in frustration before long.

If you are a newcomer to Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, I should advise that the limitations of the original game remain. This is a pretty short release and will likely take you four to five hours to complete, exactly the same as the original - or longer if you’re going for full completion including the returning secret levels. And while the precision required in Croc: Legend of the Gobbos creates a welcomed challenge, the occasionally repetitive level design may not capture the minds of those without nostalgia or an appreciation for the classics, so that’s perhaps worth bearing in mind.

Credit / Argonaut Games

Of course, in a remaster, it’s graphics that many prospective players will be yearning to know more about. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos’ (2025) are everything you’d want them to be. The textures and models have been replaced with new 4K alternatives, but they stay incredibly true to the original design and still manage to feel retro while bringing a vivid crispness to the beloved platforming title. As I said, this is just how I remember the game although that’s with my rose-tinted lenses because gameplay footage of the original reminds me that it looked nowhere near this incredible. There is, if you wish, also an original graphics mode included if you want to add a bit of grittiness to the remaster, to more closely emulate that late 90s experience.

As for new content, well, there’s not much in the way of that. The main game itself remains the same although secret levels do return so you’ll be pleased to know you’re getting the full package. There is, however, a new Crocipedia which can be accessed from the main menu detailing the game’s creation. There’s original concept art, dev interviews, and information on all facets of the title from the soundtrack to character models. It’s really nicely put together, even if it may not appeal to every single player.

Credit / Argonaut Games

If I had one gripe with the remastered Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, it’s that enemy hit boxes feel a tad sketchy. Lives aren’t particularly plentiful and in many cases, I’d lose far too many during what should’ve been easy boss fights. The boss would do a, say, dizzy animation, indicating that it was safe for me to go in and deal some damage with a tailspin only for Croc to end up taking needless damage because the tailspin didn’t land in the hard-to-judge hitbox with any contact otherwise registering as damage to Croc. It wasn’t as much of an issue with the various foes you’ll find in the game’s main levels which I Kapow’d and Kasplat’d out of my way.

It’s a small gripe though with what is, on the whole, a welcomed revival of a timeless classic. Argonaut Games ought to be proud of what it has achieved here, because this is a remaster that above all seeks to honour the developers’ original vision. It doesn’t waylay itself with adding too many bells and whistles, instead choosing to carefully update the original to make it more suited for the contemporary player. I can really only hope that Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (2025) paves the way for the continued renaissance of this platforming icon of yesteryear, whether that’s a remaster of Croc 2 or a full-on current-gen reboot but for now, I’m simply thrilled to be reunited with this charming little 90s icon.

Pros: Keeps original feel intact, timeless appeal, vastly improved controls

Cons: Enemy hitboxes occasionally feel a bit awry, limitations of the original game persist

For fans of: Astro Bot, Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario Odyssey

8/10: Excellent

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos launches on 2 April on Nintendo Switch (version tested), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC via GOG. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.